The Orchard

How to Store Citrus Fruit at Home — A Valencia Farmer's Guide

Supermarket oranges last weeks in the fridge. Convenient? Sure. It's also the result of fungicides, wax coatings, and weeks of cold storage. Ours don't have any of that. They're picked the day you ...

Why citrus fruit is wrapped in paper — and why it matters

If you have ever bought oranges at a market in Valencia — or from any fruit shop that takes its stock seriously — you will have noticed that each piece comes wrapped in thin, almost translucent pap...

Citrus ripening: what changes in the fruit and why it matters

When you buy an orange in the supermarket, it may have been picked weeks ago while still green, then ripened in a cold store with ethylene gas. When you buy one direct from the grower in Valencia, ...

How does rainfall affect citrus?

September rains in Valencia can boost or ruin the citrus season. How Valencian farmers manage water so the fruit that reaches your door tastes its best.

Buddha’s hand — what it is, what it tastes like and how to use this juiceless citrus

Buddha’s hand is a citrus fruit with no pulp or juice whose value lies entirely in the rind. What it is, what it smells like, how to use it in the kitchen and how it differs from other citrus.

Biodynamic farming — what it is, how it differs and what it has to do with citrus

Biodynamic farming treats the holding as a living organism. What it is, how it differs from organic, the Demeter certification and which principles we apply in our citrus groves.

Moro blood orange: the Sicilian variety we grow in Valencia

The Moro blood orange, originally from Sicily and grown in our Valencia grove, stands out for its garnet flesh and complex flavour between sweet and bitter. No post-harvest treatment, from the tree...

The lime — what it is, how it differs from lemon and how to use it in the kitchen

A lime is not an unripe lemon. They are different species with distinct aromatic profiles. Varieties, culinary uses and why they are not always interchangeable in recipes.

Biodynamic Agriculture: Benefits for a Sustainable Future

In the search for more sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices, biodynamic agriculture has seemed to us to be a promising alternative. In fact, we are going to apply these t...

Mandarin chicken — a quick recipe with proper citrus

There are recipes born out of the need to get something on the table quickly — and that end up becoming a fixture. This is one of those. Chicken breast with mandarin sauce, a touch of soy and papri...